Author Archives: mlwilkie

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About mlwilkie

Software Developer, Mother, Wife with keen interest in art, design and crafts of all kinds.

Fabric Stash {01.07.2013}: Thimble Pleasures Quilt Shop

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After visiting New York where I visited a couple of quilt shops, I decided I needed to come home and visit my local quilt shop. Thimble Pleasures is my local quilt shop, it is in Chapel Hill North Carolina. It has an amazing selection, that I feel was better than the New York stores.

I was not looking for anything in particular but I did I pick up some fun prints:

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1) Prosperity Hens (Yellow) – Locally Grown by Marissa and Creative Thursday, Andover Fabrics
2) Sheep Parade – Locally Grown by Marissa and Creative Thursday, Andover Fabrics
3) Little Apples White Clothes by Aneela Hoey
4) Posy, Story by Aneela Hoey for Moda

And some more graphic/color based prints:IMG_7798

1) Parsons Gray, Seven Wonders, Clouds
2) Bloom Modern by Jason Yenter from In The Beginning Fabrics
3) Sketch,  Crosshatch in Turquoise by Timeless Treasures Fabrics
4) Madrona Road, Haystack in Tangerine by Violet Craft for Michael Miller
5)  Bloom Modern by Jason Yenter from In The Beginning Fabrics

Next week, I will be showing you my latest purchase from Fabricworm…hint, hint 😉 I was building my yellow stash:mosaic22948190c340fe8083b0eb8268015359889500a3

Linking up with Fiona @ Finding Fifth for Sunday Stash.

Meal Plan {29.06.2013} + Carrot Raisin Salad

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This week has been a little difficult – in total over 4 days, I have spent 24 hours in the airport due to cancelled flights to and from New York. Very tedious. Good news is, I got two rows of hexagons almost completed.

In desperate need of vegetables (airports are not the best for healthy food)…Today we are having coleslaw and Carrot raisin salad. The cabbages and carrots came from our garden.

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Ingredients (modified from Rachel Ray’s Food Network recipe)

  • 8-10 Carrots grated
  • 1 Tbsp Poppy Seeds
  • 1 lemon’s juice
  • 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup raisin
  • 1/2 cup golden raisin
  • pinch salt

Toss all ingredients in a bowl with hands. Chill for 30 minutes or longer. Serve.

For the rest of the week this is what we have planned.

DAY BREAKFAST DINNER
Saturday Granola + Fruit Beef tips + Coleslaw + Carrot Raisin Salad
Sunday Bircher Muesli Moroccan Lamb + Cheese Cauliflower Bake + Wheat Berries
Monday English Muffin + Banana + Almond Butter Broccoli+ Cherry Tomato Fettuccine
Tuesday Bircher Muesli Thai Green Curry + Brown Rice
Wednesday English Muffin + Banana + Almond Butter zPizza
Thursday Bircher Muesli Ham + Baked Potatoes + Grilled Vegetable Stack
Friday Berry + Banana + Spirulina Smoothie Toasted Sandwiches + Homemade Fries

Most of our vegetables this week are from the garden, which made it a very short list for the week.

GROCERY LIST (NEW STOCK) IN THE CUPBOARD/FRIDGE
  • Soy Milk (TJ)
  • Lamb Shanks (BJ)
  • Beef Tips (Meat House)
  • Ham (LF)
  • Eggplant (TJ)
  • Bread (TT)
  • Fruit for snack (TJ)
  • Gluten Free Pasta (TT)
  • Brown Rice (TJ)
  • Oats (BJ)
  • Sultanas (TT)
  • Wheat Berries (WF)
  • Cabbage (our garden)
  • Broccoli (our garden)
  • Carrots (our garden)
  • Cauliflower (our garden)
  • Tomatoes (TJ)
  • Apples (TJ)
  • Potatoes (TJ)
  • Onions (TJ)
  • Eggs (TJ)
  • Cheese (TT)
  • Chicken (BJ)
  • Thai Green Curry (TT)
  • English Muffins (TT)
  • Frozen Banana /Berries (TJ)

NOTE: We shop majority at Trader Joe’s (TJ), Target (TT) with an occasional visit to Whole foods (WF), BJ’s , Harris Teeters (HT), Lowes Food (LF) and Fresh Market (FM).
NOTE: We do not typically use coupons mainly due to time.

Now on to a short week – yippee!!

Finish it up Friday {28.06.2013} : The Royal-X-Plus paper piecing block

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Firstly, some of this content you would have seen from Wednesday post please go over and check out the my “Let’s get acquainted New bloggers” post….check out the other participant’s posts for this week.

I am so excited today as I am introducing my first paper piecing pattern…

“Royal – X – Plus Block”TealOrange_Royal_X_PlusBlock

The block reminds me of a mashup of a union jack and the X & + Block (hence the name). It was inspired by a floor tile. I would consider this Intermediate due to the joins but an easy sew since they are all straight lines. The biggest tip I can give, is when joining the 3 sections using opposite pressed seams to match the pieces up (like you would matching up a row of squares).

I reached out to others participating in the New Bloggers blog hop and a big thank you goes out to my three testers that tested my pattern. I am so appreciative of the work and great feedback. Here are their blocks:

Cath @ Wombat Quilts, who posts a paper piece block every Monday which are always amazing!! She made her block 11.5 x 11.5″. finished block

Alison @ Making Happyness, who is a newbie at paper piecing. Her first paper piecing was a beautiful rose.Ali @ Making Happyness

Lisa @ Hilltop House Creative Works, made this very cute mini quilt from the block. I could definitely use this as a mug rug or a pot holder/trivet….don’t you think??DSC01700

In the process of making the pattern I tried a couple of blocks, and after feedback from Alison I wanted to show you all how a couple of blocks would work together.Royal_X_Cross_Blocks

You can get the free pattern from Craftsy, here. If you try it out I would love to know, so I invite you to post photo’s of your finished block on my Paper Piecing Flickr Group.

Linking up with Amanda Jean’s Finish it up Friday @ CrazyMomQuilts and with Kristy @ Quiet Play.

Paper Piecing Party